Adams flugelhorn not tuned in A=440Hz?

[Richard III]

I might have missed it, but what flugelhorn did you play before?
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Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

[abundrefo]

[zaferis]

The instruments are designed to pull the slide that far... essentially moving the valve cluster away from the mouthpiece and closer to the bell. Measuring the tubing from valve cluster to bell is different between designers. Bore size and shape also will have an impact. Then the slide is built to adjust to fit in a case/be protected in a case.

Yes, you may notice a difference in play, but that's something you have to adjust to.. If you push the tuning slide all the way in on a trumpet you'll get a similar effect - blows different, maybe even slotting differently.

Remember that this is a single tubing, if you are used to pulling a trumpet tuning slide 1/2 and inch, then it's understandable that on an adjustable leadpipe you'll pull twice that far, if not more due to the differently shaped mouthpiece and bore of the Flugel.

Bottom line is that it is not a problem, but a design/feature difference.
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Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[Richard III]

[adagiotrumpet]

I must be missing something here. Is it the contention of the those posting here that the horn should tune at A=440 with the tuning slide all the way in? Every trumpet or flugelhorn I have ever played tuned higher that A440 with the tuning slide all the way in. I have been playing an Adams F1 for about four years now. While it worked well with a Warburton flugelhorn mouthpiece, the low G and F# were a bit sharp. Switching to a ACB flugelhorn mouthpiece solved that issue, but in either case, the horn tuned to A440 when the tuning slide was pulled out about 1/2 - 5/8". For those who find themselves pulling out the tuning slide 1 1/2 - 2", it would be interesting to see if they are playing in the center of the pitch to begin with.

Having attended NAMM last week, I played quite a few of the Adams flugelhorns in their booth and none of them seemed to have any intonation issues.

[nieuwguyski]

Ultimately, you pull out your tuning slide as far as you have to to play in tune.

I've played an LA-era Calicchio Copper flugelhorn for the last 15 years, and when I first got it I freaked out that I had to pull the leadpipe out well over two inches to get tuning C down to pitch. I tried different mouthpieces, different shanks, and nothing made much of a difference. I spent about six months deliberately tuning sharp, thinking it would force me to "play down to the pitch" and fix the problem. Instead, I was always either sharp or cracking off the partial I was trying to play to the next one down.

I finally decided to accept the fact that I had to pull out a mile to play in tune and made a discovery: Tuning C is the sharpest note on the horn. Pulling out enough to get C down to pitch made every other note flat, including other open notes like the normally-sharp G on top of the staff. Not that this made a huge difference -- I still pull out more than two inches, just not quite as far as I used to.

I just used a caliper to measure my standard pull: 2.18".

I use 2-3 (second and third valves) for sustained third-space Cs and 1-3 for sustained third-line Bs. All the other notes line up fine and I can play in tune with that much pull. I should buy a flugel that plays better in tune, but the Calicchio is the devil I know and the sound is to die for.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski